A BILL

To have the unincorporated territory and Commonwealth of Puerto Rico become the 51st state of the Union.
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
This act may be cited as the Puerto Rican Statehood Act of 2015.
SECTION 2. FINDINGS
Congress hereby finds and declares that,
1) Puerto Rico sends a Resident Commissioner, Pedro Pierluisi respectively, to Congress that can not take part in the
legislative process.
2) The population of Puerto Rico would add about nine votes to the electoral college and about seven representatives in
Congress.
3) Although the Commonwealth government of Puerto Rico has its own taxation laws, Puerto Rican citizens are also
required to pay most U.S. federal taxes, with the major exception being that most residents do not have to pay the federal
personal income tax.
4) Puerto Ricans "were collectively made U.S. citizens" in 1917 as a result of the Jones-Shafroth Act.
5) Puerto Rico is an unincorporated organized territory of the United States.
6) The federal taxes paid by Puerto Rico residents include import/export taxes.
7) Despite denying statehood referendums in the past, the majority of Puerto Ricans now wish for statehood.
8) Puerto Rico is amongst many American territories whose actual political statuses vary greatly from those enacted upon
them by the United States Congress.
9) Puerto Rico has the largest GDP in the respective region of Latin America.
10) Statistics show that the majority of Puerto Rican people, though divided in the past, now wish to be a fully
incorporated part of the United States.
11) Constitutionally, Puerto Rico is subject to the plenary powers of the United States Congress under the territorial clause
of Article IV of the U.S. Constitution.
12) Despite their American citizenship, only the "fundamental rights" under the federal constitution apply to Puerto
Ricans.
13) U.S. citizens residing in Puerto Rico cannot vote for the U.S. president, though both major parties, Republican and
Democrat, run primary elections in Puerto Rico to send delegates to vote on a presidential candidate.
14) Federal commodity taxes, and social security taxes. Residents also pay Federal payroll taxes, such as Social Security
and Medicare taxes.
SECTION 3. STATUTORY LANGUAGE
A) It is declared that the Territory of Puerto Rico shall be admitted into the United States of America on an equal footing
with the other fifty States in all respects whatsoever. The constitution of the State of Puerto Rico shall always be
republican in form and shall not be repugnant to the Constitution of the United States and the principles of the Declaration
of Independence.
B) The State of Puerto Rico shall consist of all the territory, together with the territorial waters and various smaller islands
appurtenant thereto, now included in the Territory of Puerto Rico. In accordance to the population of Puerto Rico, nine
Electors shall be added to the American Electoral College as well as two senators to the United States Senate and five
representatives to the United States House of Representatives. Those who wish to serve in either the Senate or House of
Representatives shall be voted into Congress at the behest of the denizens of Puerto Rico. The people of Puerto Rico may
now vote upon legislative matters concerning the welfare of their state. The newfound state of Puerto Rico shall be unable
to secede from the Union in perpetuum.
C) Henceforth, the Commonwealth and Territory of Puerto Rico shall become the 51st state of the United States of
America. This act shall go into effect starting on January 1, 2016.